Shafer Vineyards is a storied Napa Valley winery. Dubbed “one of the world’s greatest wineries” by Robert Parker, Shafer has a rich heritage as a preeminent Stags Leap winery and its flagship Hillside Select as an iconic global wine.
The project seeks to reimagine and define Shafer 2.0 from a holistic brand perspective,
expanding beyond its current wine portfolio. Transitioning from its founder-centric narrative to becoming
an integral part of the Shinsegae Group, evolving Shafer from a wine product to a luxury lifestyle brand.
I led the collaboration between the internal team, international brand consultancy, and architects to conduct quantitative and qualitative research, redefine brand strategy, rebranding and reimagine customer experience for Shafer Vineyards.
Launching A New Tasting Experience
Elevated Label Design
New Package Design
Collaboration with Other Brands
To cater to the diverse needs of Millennial customers, we reimagined the Shafer tasting experience with a tiered structure. This approach offers a range of options, from introductory experiences for those new to Shafer to highly exclusive and unforgettable experiences for the most discerning guests.
The brand narrative was also a crucial part to evolve how Shafer communicate with customers. We came up with the idea that the 'moment' with Shafer is always worthy, and we have to celebrate that moments to make meaningful memories.
Following the development of the brand strategy, Hillside Select was positioned as an independent premium brand, with a distinct label designed to reflect its unique value proposition.
Two versions of the label design were developed, ranging from 'evolutionary' to 'revolutionary'.
For a more incremental change, the 'Evolutionary design' was applied to the wines produced starting in 2024.
Shafer's original brand identity reflects its heritage as a cult wine from Napa Valley, known for its bold and classic weight. However, some elements have become outdated, and in order to represent Shafer's true essence—one that evolved from the founder's story to a narrative rooted in Napa's terroir— a fresh approach was necessary.
Especially to position Shafer as a luxury brand moving forward, we have decided to redefine the visual identity of Shafer 2.0, while preserving the originality of its wines.
Current Shafer labels present limitations in effectively capturing the unique character and elevating the prestige of the 'Hillside Select' wines, our highest-tiered portfolio. To strategically position Hillside Select as a distinct premium brand, we proposed creating a separate yet visually harmonious label that maintains a clear connection to the broader Shafer brand identity.
While Shafer has a reputation for high quality wine, gradual transformation to a luxury brand is
necessary to evolve from horizon 0 to horizon 2.
To conduct a comprehensive 360-degree analysis of Shafer Vineyards, we began by reviewing the brand story, current tasting experience, and customer feedback—highlighting both likes and dislikes.
Key insights revealed that the current Shafer brand story heavily emphasizes the founding family, followed by the terroir of the grapes. While acknowledging the importance of the founders' legacy, Shafer needs to evolve its brand narrative to prioritize terroir and the wine itself. This shift was crucial for successfully integrating Shafer into the Shinsegae Group brand portfolio.
Luxury brands typically possess several key pillars. Notably, Shafer already embodies each of these pillars, demonstrating its inherent potential to become a truly iconic luxury brand.
Additionally, we explored the brand narratives, wine labels, and tasting experiences of neighboring wineries within the Stag's Leap region of Napa Valley, where Shafer is located. This comparative approach allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of Shafer's position within the broader regional context.
Many renowned Napa Valley wineries emphasize the winemaking process and the terroir of their vineyards, rather than solely focusing on the founders. This observation further reinforced our recommendation to develop a Shafer brand story that prioritizes the unique terroir and the exceptional quality of the wines themselves.
We envisioned the future of Shafer across three key categories: brand, customer, and product. With a compelling brand narrative, Shafer can attract a younger generation of customers. This vision also includes expanding the product portfolio beyond wine, while simultaneously driving growth for the high-end wines (Hillside Select)within the existing portfolio.
As a next step, we gathered Shafer’s current DTC data to know who are the biggest consumer of the brand. What we found was is that the majority of the customers were old, white, and wealthy male from Western U.S. However, in recent years, we saw a slight shift towards a growing millennial audience.
Building on this insight, we had to explore strategies to attract Millennial customers, how to incentivize them to enjoy Shafer wines more.
Source l Shafer DTC Sales Data
One of the qualitative research methods employed was in-depth interviews with key stakeholders. These interviews provided valuable insights into how Shafer can leverage its brand strengths, mitigate potential risks, and capitalize on opportunities for growth. This process enabled us to develop strategies for brand evolution and enhance consumer engagement.
Source l In-depth Interview with 20 Key Internal and Industry Stakeholders, 2022.06
Shafer’s brand is strong among its customer base and throughout the industry.
Shafer’s customer base is narrow and aging, though customers are sophisticated.
Shafer can grow its customer base by enhancing storytelling and reaching a broader audience.
Shafer’s story is built on a strong foundation of provenance and heritage.
Shafer has strong associations with
Napa as well as key man risk.
Shafer can increase relevance by telling a richer story and addressing its lesser-known products.
Shafer is a quietly strong brand that has
not been leveraged extensively.
Shafer’s visual identity is simple and dated,
but well-known in the industry.
Shafer has opportunities to expand into new product lines, experiences, and activations.
Shafer delivers a superior product and a powerful in-person experience.
Hillside Select and Doug have had outsized impact on Shafer’s success.
Shafer can "luxurize" its experience and better engage younger audiences.
One workshop exercise involved defining Shafer's current and future customer profiles. While we acknowledged that Shafer's current customer base primarily comprises affluent, white males residing in the Western U.S. with a deep passion for wine, we envision a future where Shafer attracts a more diverse customer base with broader tastes and a curiosity for exploring various types of spirits.
With this in mind, we developed a brand strategy that caters to the ideal customer of today while also positioning the brand for tomorrow.
Our analysis revealed that the current Shafer tasting experience is limited, lacking distinct member-exclusive perks and a dedicated wine membership club.
To attract more Millennial customers, we recognized the need to enhance the on-site tasting experience. This enhancement should be designed to appeal specifically to the preferences and expectations of Millennial visitors.
Source l Silicon Valley Bank 2022 Report, Industry Interviews, CNBC, Schwab Modern Wealth Survey,
Eventbrite Experience Economy Research
As the youngest Engagement Manager in the company’s history, I navigated complex communication channels to ensure alignment among my internal team, the Shafer team, a New York-based agency, and SF-based architects. Together, we co-created a cohesive brand strategy, identity, and experience. By facilitating regular cross-functional meetings and collaborative sessions, I fostered consensus, driving toward the shared goal of elevating Shafer into a true luxury brand.
I also conducted frequent on-site visits to the Shafer Vineyards estate, gathering input directly from winery staff on their vision for the brand's future. My strong interpersonal skills and meticulous attention to detail cultivated a positive and productive working environment, enabling seamless collaboration across teams and projects.
